The helper was asking for a bribe from Lin Xuan Qi.
And if he didn't give the helper what he wanted, the helper would deliberately sabotage his registration to sell rice in the Rice Merchant Association.
Lin Xuan Qi was reminded of how things were in Da Qian Dynasty.
Before he could say anything, someone else barged in from behind.
The man shouted at the helper, "Lee Zhen Ren's three-hundredth birthday is coming soon, make sure the arrangement for the rice is done in time for the celebrations.
"And make sure it is sufficient for the guests coming from all over."
The helper stood up and bowed to the man.
He said apologetically to the man, "I will inform the Head of the Rice Merchant Association, he will make sure that it is done."
"Good. It's not that I'm being unreasonable, you should know what happens when the cultivators are unhappy." The man said with an aggrieved look.
After that, the man turned around and left.
"Have a safe trip back." The helper said as he saw the man going further away from him.
Lin Xuan Qi saw what happened and realized the difference when you are rich or powerful like the cultivators.
Even the servants of the cultivators acted above everyone.
If only I could be able to learn about cultivation. Lin Xuan Qi said silently to himself.
And he was also astonished when he heard that the cultivator Lee Zhen Ren was going to be three hundred years old.
It was something unheard of from where he came from.
"What are you waiting for?" The helper's expression changed to one of impatience when he saw Lin Xuan Qi still standing where he was.
Lin Xuan Qi took out a string of copper coins, totaling one hundred, and he took out twenty more copper coins for the helper.
He wasn't about to go against the helper without being strong enough, and Lin Xuan Qi promised himself that he would, soon.
"Ah, I will take down your registration, and when the Head of the Rice Merchant Association approves it, you will then be able to sell rice to the owners of the rice stores here."
The helper took down Lin Xuan Qi's particulars and wrote them down on a piece of paper.
He startled for a moment when he heard where Lin Xuan Qi was residing.
The helper had not seen anyone from the mansion before.
After he was done, he made sure that Lin Xuan Qi saw him put the registration for Lin Xuan Qi on top of a stack of papers.
"Don't worry, it shall be the first that the Head of the Rice Merchant Association sees. Just come back tomorrow for the good news."
"Thanks so much." Lin Xuan Qi replied with a fake smile.
At least the twenty copper coins didn't go to waste. He thought.
...
Lin Xuan Qi headed for the Hou Gong temple after he left the Rice Merchant Association.
The temple located near a huge tower in the city was easy to locate.
Worshippers at the temple burned incense and prayed with offerings to the deities inside the temple.
Makeshift stalls also sold incense and food outside the temple.
Lin Xuan Qi didn't enter the temple; he went on to search for the house Yue Jie mentioned instead.
It didn't take him long to find it.
The house was just beside the temple with its prominent red tile roof.
Knock.
Lin Xuan Qi knocked on the door but there was no response.
He waited for a few moments and tried again.
The same thing happened.
No one responded.
"Master Lee He Song. Anyone home?"
Lin Xuan Qi shouted outside the door as a last resort.
This time he heard a man's voice.
The door opened and an old man's head popped out from the slightly opened door.
"Who are you?! You are spoiling my enjoyment."
"Enjoyment?" Lin Xuan Qi raised an eyebrow when he heard the old man.
Enjoyment by himself at his age?! He thought silently to himself.
Hoping that he was wrong.
The old man suddenly pulled Lin Xuan Qi into the house.
The force from the old man was enormous and Lin Xuan Qi couldn't believe it was coming from an old man.
"Who are you and why are you shouting for me?" Lee He Song said, and he quickly got to the side of the house that was beside the temple.
"Master Lee He Song, I'm here to..."
"Shh... not now." Lee He Song put his index finger up to his lips, gesturing for Lin Xuan Qi to keep quiet.
He looked at something out of the window.
Lin Xuan Qi glanced over in the direction that Lee He Song was looking to see what he was looking at.
A plump woman who looked to be middle-aged, wearing white cultivation robes, came out from the temple.
It instantly caused a commotion as the worshippers tried to get close to her, and they knelt and clasped their hands together.
The woman took out a few talismans and threw the talismans into the air.
Boom.
They exploded and gave out a cloud of orange smoke into the air.
The worshippers began to kowtow to the woman as the cloud of orange smoke descended onto them.
Lin Xuan Qi didn't know what was going on, but he figured it must have been some form of blessing ritual.
"Ah my goddess." Lee He Song's eyes gleamed as he uttered the words.
Lin Xuan Qi nearly choked on his saliva when he heard Lee He Song.
So, that's what he meant by 'enjoyment'.
Peeping at a plump woman.
"One man's meat is another's poison I guess," Lin Xuan Qi thought silently to himself.
Next, he heard a long sigh from Lee He Song.
"Too bad I don't have a spiritual root to learn cultivation like Xun Er.
"I was only able to learn martial arts like the rest of us.
"Look at her, still looking the same as the first time I met her, only able to learn martial arts instead."
Lee He Song lamented his fate and how it had changed his life and Xun Er's, the woman in cultivation robes.
He went into his thoughts for a few moments before he turned to Lin Xuan Qi.
"Now, what do you want." He said with his palm raised.